Teach Me To Love
by LSL and rubberducky64
Summary: The great Seto Kaiba has been taught many things in his lifetime. But there is one thing he doesn't know - and only Jonouchi Katsuya can teach him. JonouchiKaiba shonen-ai, By LSL
1. Learning about the 'Epiphyte Evening'

Jonouchi Katsuya had his head propped up on his arm as he waited for class to start that morning. He was gazing fixedly at a russet-haired teen around his own age at a desk some three rows away, in the back left hand corner of the cramped classroom.

The student in question was sitting in his desk in that left hand corner of the classroom reading a novel. Jonouchi couldn't make out the title – it was in French or something. There was a relaxed air about him, an air that one seldom felt emanating from the young man, as he usually was sensed as being cold and arrogant. But that morning was different, Jonouchi mused, that morning this person for whom he had pined for ever since he had seen his face appear (however briefly) on the 6:00 news some thirteen months prior, was seemingly _happy_ about something.

Well, if not happy, then at least pleased or even satisfied. Jonouchi didn't know what it was – the company the young man owned wasn't doing too well, his younger brother was home sick with strep throat, and Jonouchi had heard that his dry cleaning had come back mangled. What was there to be happy for,o great Seto Kaiba?

"Class, your attention please," The teacher called as he stepped through the doorway into the chattering classroom. The brouhaha died away and then as fast as a whip cracks, Seto Kaiba snapped his book shut, sat up with perfect posture at his desk, folded his long, slim fingers together and stared violently back at Jonouchi with such a passion that Jonouchi at once looked away.

What had that been about? Jonouchi thought as he shuddered slightly, sitting up and feeling the unblinking gaze of the CEO boring into him as the teacher made his announcements.

"This Thursday, rooms 211B and 305A are sponsoring a food drive for a Christmas dinner at a local orphanage," droned the teacher. Was it Jonouchi's imagination, or did Kaiba just sit up a little straighter (if such a thing was possible) at this?

"Also, as you know, the Christian holiday of Christmas is nearly upon us, and seeing as it is only one week away, rooms 211B and 305A are also sponsoring "Epiphyte Evening" and invite you all to come join them at Domino Park December twenty-fourth for 'an exciting, magical, and fun-filled Christmas Eve'."

Some people in the front sniggered, and somebody called out

"What, they want us to play with _mistletoe_? I think that'd definitely be a" -here they did the 'quotes fingers'- " 'magical, fun-filled Christmas Eve', don't cha think?"

People laughed at this, but the laughing stopped when a raspy voice called out from the back.

"I think," spoke Seto Kaiba, "that it is a wonderful idea, and that it is a chance for the, ah, shall we say _less fortunate_ to go snog the person next to them as they are currently unable to acquire a _special someone_."

Silence.

"Well, then, that's all for announcements class, you are dismissed," the teacher choked out.

Nobody moved.

Then the bell rang.

Pandemonium.

Amidst all the chaos that morning, Jonouchi caught sight of the corner of a white envelope sticking out of Seto Kaiba's coat pocket. Kaiba, not thinking anyone was watching, gave the envelope a furtive glance as if he were bracing himself for the time that envelope were to be opened.

But Jonouchi was swept out of the room by the mass of people headed the general direction of the door, and didn't notice the small white envelope that appeared in his satchel's front pocket sometime shortly after lunch, the envelope which, if examined closely, very much looked like the small white envelope that had been sticking out of Seto Kaiba's coat pocket that morning...

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LSL: Well, thar goes Chapter one of this short little fic. I do so hope you all enjoyed it, and chapter two will be coming along soon enough!


	2. A Popsicle and a Discovery

It started to rain as Jonouchi Katsuya walked home. Not a heavy rain, but a drizzle heavy enough to make sure he was sufficiently wet by the time he made it back to the apartment he shared with is father. His dad would not be pleased, and he could be ensured another beating tonight as his dad did _not _like messes.

Jonouchi sighed, resigning himself to the inevitable. He knew he should probably get help with his dad, but he didn't want to bother anybody with his problems, besides, he was slowly learning how to cover up the bruises more so that they could pass as simply bad, blotchy skin. That at least explained the bottles of foundation and cover-up make-up he had hidden in his sock drawer, in case anyone was wondering.

So as he trudged home in the downpour that had evolved from that drizzle, it was a miracle that the little white envelope that had hastily been tucked into the pocket of his satchel sometime shortly before lunch, and that very strangely resembled the one sticking out of Seto Kaiba's pocket that morning only got a few speckles of water on it during the whole thirty minutes it was exposed to the rain.

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Shaking himself off in the hallway before he unlocked the door to his small apartment, Jonouchi fished around for the key in his satchel pocket and, alas, missed the small white envelope that also inhabited the space.

Entering the modest living room/kitchen, Jonouchi stepped over the broken bottles littering the floor and felt his heart plummet at the sight of his father passed out in his chair. Tucking a blanket around his cataleptic father, Jonouchi headed over to the run-down refrigerator and pushed aside all the beer and vodka bottles before he found his lovely stash of Popsicles. Pulling the wrapper off of a cherry one (his favourite), he finally made his way into his room where he locked the door and dumped his satchel and wet coat in their usual spot in the corner. It was freezing – though that might have had something to do with the fact he was severely damp and eating a Popsicle.

He flopped on his bed laying on his back, and sighed again as he blinked up at the pictures of movie stars and singers he had cut out from magazines and pasted on his ceiling. There were pictures of his friends, a couple group shots and one with himself and Honda when they were little. Some pictures of his sister, and his mom, and some little mementos like ticket stubs and old DuelMonsters cards were also up there. It was like his own little scrapbook on his ceiling.

He smiled as he sucked on his Popsicle, and closed his eyes, just enjoying the peace before the red dye #40 dripped onto his collar forcing him to sit up. Swearing loudly, he figured it was time he got to work. Jonouchi stripped down, and dried himself off with an old towel left here from that morning's shower, and then put on a fresh change of clothes. Hanging the wet ones up in the miniscule bathroom, he went back to his bedroom and opened his satchel. The pocket had been left open from when he had looked for the key, and the white envelope tumbled out facedown onto the floor.

Jonouchi picked it up curiously, and turned it over so as to see the front. On the front, in perfect, tiny handwriting, was his name.

_Jonouchi K. _

Odd, Jonouchi thought, where had this envelope come from? He had no idea, of course, that it had been placed in his satchel pocket shortly before lunch, and that it was indeed the very same envelope that Seto Kaiba had had in his pocket that morning.

He flipped to the other side, slipped his thumb under one corner of the flap and broke the seal of glue. Inside was a sheet of white paper.

Pulling it out and unfolding it, Jonouchi started to read the letter inside …

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LSL: I apologize this was so long in coming, but my compy has been down so... and never fear, you will learn the contents of the letter soon enough!


End file.
